Bonded

5

The night air was crisp as Caleb’s car rolled to a stop outside my apartment building. The warmth of the evening lingered on my skin, but my thoughts were swirling in a storm of confusion and exhilaration. Dinner had been perfect—too perfect. Caleb Thorn, with his wealth and effortless charm, was unlike anyone I’d ever met.

“Thank you for tonight,” I said softly, glancing at him. He was leaning against the steering wheel, his sharp profile illuminated by the streetlights.

“It was my pleasure, Ivy,” he replied, his voice smooth like honey. “I meant what I said—you deserve to see the world.”

I offered him a shy smile, still unsure how to navigate his intensity. “Goodnight, Caleb.”

“Goodnight, Ivy,” he said, his eyes locking onto mine for a moment too long.

I climbed out of the car, clutching my coat around me, and walked up the path to my building. As I reached for the door handle, I glanced back. Caleb was still there, watching me, his gaze burning through the darkness. It should have been unsettling, but instead, it sent a thrill down my spine.

Once I was inside, I exhaled a shaky breath, leaning against the door. My mind was a mess of questions. Why me? What did he see in me? And why did I feel like I’d just stepped into something I didn’t fully understand?

After a moment, I shook my head and headed up the stairs to my apartment. The building was old, and the hallways were dimly lit. It wasn’t the safest area, but it was all I could afford.

As I rounded the corner to my door, a man loitering near the stairwell caught my attention. He was older, with a scruffy beard and a stained jacket, and his bloodshot eyes followed me like a predator eyeing its prey.

“Hey there, sweetheart,” he called, his voice slurred.

I froze, clutching my purse tighter. “Excuse me,” I muttered, keeping my head down and moving toward my door.

“Don’t be like that,” he said, stumbling closer. “You’re too pretty to ignore a guy like me.”

My heart raced as I fumbled for my keys. “Please, leave me alone,” I said, my voice shaking.

“C’mon, don’t be such a tease,” he said, reaching out to grab my arm.

Before he could touch me, a deep, guttural growl echoed through the hallway. The sound was low and primal, and it sent a chill down my spine.

The man stumbled back, his eyes wide with fear as Caleb appeared at the end of the hall. He wasn’t the same calm, composed man from dinner. His posture was rigid, his jaw clenched, and his eyes—his normally gray eyes—were glowing a fiery gold.

“Step away from her,” Caleb growled, his voice a low, dangerous rumble.

The man held up his hands, stumbling over his words. “I—I didn’t mean anything by it, I swear—”

“Now,” Caleb snapped, his voice filled with an authority that seemed to shake the very air around us.

The man didn’t need to be told twice. He bolted down the stairs, muttering apologies as he disappeared.

I stood frozen, my keys clutched in my trembling hand. Caleb turned to me, his expression softening slightly, but those glowing eyes remained, and I realized with a jolt that they weren’t human.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice quieter now.

“What…what just happened?” I whispered, my gaze darting to his eyes.

He hesitated, running a hand through his dark hair. “I didn’t mean for you to see that.”

“See what?” I demanded, my voice rising. “Your eyes…they—”

“Ivy,” he said firmly, taking a step closer. “I need you to listen to me. I’m not…normal.”

“No kidding,” I snapped, backing away from him. “What are you?”

He sighed, his shoulders sagging slightly. “It’s complicated.”

I shook my head, my pulse hammering in my ears. “No. No more vague answers. I deserve the truth, Caleb.”

For a moment, he just stared at me, his glowing eyes studying my face. Then he spoke, his voice low and measured.

“I’m a wolf,” he said simply.

I blinked, sure I’d misheard him. “A wolf?”

“Not just any wolf,” he continued, his tone carrying a weight that made my stomach twist. “An alpha. The leader of my pack.”

The words hung in the air, and I felt like the ground had been ripped out from under me. “This…this isn’t real,” I said, shaking my head. “You’re joking.”

“I wish I was,” he said, his eyes dimming back to their normal gray. “But it’s the truth, Ivy. And now that you know, you’re in danger.”

“In danger?” My voice cracked as panic set in.

He took another step toward me, his hands raised as if to calm me. “I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise—”

“No,” I interrupted, backing away until my back hit the wall. “This can’t be happening. You can’t be—”

“Ivy,” he said softly, but there was a command in his tone, a power that made me freeze.

I stared at him, my chest rising and falling with shallow breaths. He wasn’t human. He wasn’t anything close to human. And I’d just let him into my life.

“I need to go,” I whispered, fumbling with my door.

“Ivy, wait,” he said, but I didn’t stop.

I shoved the door open and slammed it shut behind me, locking it with shaking hands. My heart was racing, my mind spinning as I sank to the floor.

Caleb Thorn wasn’t just a man. He was something else entirely.

And I didn’t know whether to be terrified or intrigued.